This application in general relates to an improved archery sight and overdraw arrow rest which are both positioned rearwardly of the bow handle toward the archer. The inventive combination eliminates any undesirable effect on aiming accuracy from archer-induced torque on the bow handle. Moreover, the combination is removable from the bow handle as a one-piece item.
Archery requires precise aiming. To that end, even small improvements in the ability to sight, or in improving the dynamic flight characteristics or ballistics of the arrow are valuable benefits. To this end, the archery industry has embraced the concept of a "overdraw" arrow rest, which is attached to the bow handle and brings the arrow rest several inches rearwardly of the bow handle. This allows an archer to utilize a somewhat shorter arrow than would otherwise be required. The shorter arrow is lighter and thus provides higher velocity, and a flatter trajectory in flight. Moreover, the shorter arrow has a stiffer shaft which allows a thinner wall, further reducing weight. Thus, the archery industry has accepted the overdraw arrow rest as a valuable improvement.
The sighting devices utilized in archery have not changed greatly over the years. In most modern sighting systems, a sight extends forwardly of the bow handle. A rear sight is provided by a peep sight attached to the bow string. The archer aligns the peep sight, the forward sight that is positioned forwardly of the handle, and a target. In this application, the term target will be utilized to refer to game, or an actual target.
Problems arise with modern sight assemblies due to archer induced torque. Archer induced torque is a tendency of an archer to twist the handle either to the left or right. This problem is particularly acute when an archer becomes nervous such as when game is sighted or when shooting in target competition. Applicant has identified a problem wherein the undesirable effects of torque are made even more acute when a sight is positioned forwardly of the handle in conjunction with an arrow rest positioned rearward of the handle.
As shown in FIG. 5A, handle 20 has an overdraw rest 22 rearwardly of the handle, a sight 24 forwardly of the handle and a peep sight 26 on the bow string. In the situation shown in FIG. 5A there is no torque imposed. Thus, points 26, 22 and 24 are aligned along a straight line and the archer may aim the line between the peep sight 26 and sight 24 at the target 28, and the rest 22 (and consequently the arrow) should be aimed at the target 28.
In reality, however, archer induced torque often throws the aiming of the arrow off, as is illustrated in FIG. 5B. As shown in FIG. 5B, the archer has induced some rightward torque by twisting handle 20 such that the sight 24 is now twisted to the right of the center line of the handle. As shown, this would result in the arrow rest 22 moving to the left of the center line of the handle. A line 30 shows the sighting line the archer would now perceive that he is aiming along from peep sight 26 and through sight 24. As is shown by line 32, however, the actual flight of the arrow would be from the peep sight 26, and through the arrow rest 22. That line 32 is shown to be spaced to the left from line 30.
The art has not recognized that increasing the distance between the sight and the arrow rest makes the torque problem more pronounced. It would appear that the archery industry believes that by putting the sight forwardly of the handle, and consequently closer to the target, one improves sighting accuracy. As discussed above, applicant has discovered that in fact the positioning of the sight forwardly of the handle does not improve sighting, but rather makes the problem of torque even more pronounced. Thus, archer induced torque has provided a very real problem in the field that is made even more severe when an overdraw arrow is utilized with a sight positioned forwardly of the bow.
Attempts have been made to correct the torque problem. One example is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,205,268. In this patent, the sight is still spaced from the arrow rest. This patent treats the torque problem by essentially having the archer make a check for the existence of torque prior to aiming and shooting. The archer can supposedly identify the torque and then correct the problem by twisting the handle back to its proper line. This method may help eliminate torque in some instances; however, the archer can never be assured there will be no torque on the handle at the moment of release, as his concentration would be on the target. Further, this method adds an additional step, further complicating the shooting process.